Bob lee bows??

Gaff · January 18, 2015, 10:12:00 PM

Did I miss something?? Bob lee bows always seemed like the working mans bow. A nice bow at a reasonable price.
But after looking around on their website it appears that they are now pricing themselves along side black widows..

How can they go from a 500.00 bow to 1000.00. And it dosent look like much has changed with the design.. :confused:

Stumpkiller · January 18, 2015, 10:19:00 PM

Supply & Demand. Bob Lee bows are worth the price to enough folks that he keeps busy at that level. I wish I had pockets that deep. It's the only current production bow I would fork over the $ for . . . but likely never will.

And even in the 1960's he had some stiff priced bows - the Presentation, PII, White Wing and Swift Wing were upscale pricy bows at that time.

Tajue17 · January 20, 2015, 04:28:00 PM

I just noticed those prices myself.

nineworlds9 · January 20, 2015, 06:05:00 PM

Bob Lee bows are comparable in price to plenty of other high quality well known custom bows out there. The quality is there, they are VERY solidly built and hold up great. Very forgiving and pleasing shooters as well, and you can't beat the shape of the 'stock' grip either IMHO. There are plenty of customs in the $900-$1k+ range out there. It's hard to find a decent 3pc bow out there now that doesn't have some amateurish craftsmanship for under $750-$850. It's so funny to me the ridiculous money folks will pay for custom knives and not batt an eye but then an object like a bow with moving parts and a whole list of materials they'll cry foul.

daveycrockett · January 20, 2015, 06:39:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by nineworlds9:
Bob Lee bows are comparable in price to plenty of other high quality well known custom bows out there. The quality is there, they are VERY solidly built and hold up great. Very forgiving and pleasing shooters as well, and you can't beat the shape of the 'stock' grip either IMHO. There are plenty of customs in the $900-$1k+ range out there. It's hard to find a decent 3pc bow out there now that doesn't have some amateurish craftsmanship for under $750-$850. It's so funny to me the ridiculous money folks will pay for custom knives and not batt an eye but then an object like a bow with moving parts and a whole list of materials they'll cry foul.

x2

Gaff · January 20, 2015, 06:59:00 PM

i just think its odd that 5 years ago you could get a base model 3 pc recurve for 475.00 and now 1000.00. something doesnt add up.. im not saying they arent good bows. hell, just the opposite. they are great bows. i owned one, but to double the price in such a short time sorta strikes a nerve with me.. just sayin...

Hit-or-Miss · January 20, 2015, 07:15:00 PM

If you want a working man's bow, buy a Samick. If you want a custom made bow, hand crafted from exotic hardwoods, built here in the USA to your exact specs by experts... expect to pay.

3arrows · January 20, 2015, 10:16:00 PM

Bought a used one a few years ago for 300.would not take 900.today.

nineworlds9 · January 20, 2015, 11:41:00 PM

Quote:

"i just think its odd that 5 years ago you could get a base model 3 pc recurve for 475.00 and now 1000.00. something doesnt add up.. im not saying they arent good bows. hell, just the opposite. they are great bows. i owned one, but to double the price in such a short time sorta strikes a nerve with me.. just sayin..."

I hear ya. Double is a lot. Although if you think about it, It's down to economics man. Inflation is a huge factor in the economy when it comes to pricing goods, as are the rising costs of overhead- electricity, water, advertising, employee wages...all of that trying to balance with inflation of our all mighty dollar.

There are guys who have been at my fire department much longer than me that ON PAPER make double what they made 15 years ago, BUT when we did the math and adjusted for inflation it only came out to like a measly 3 grand, and my dept hasn't had a meaningful raise in years.

Bowyering is skilled labor, heck even artwork in many ways, if you took the price of a bow and divided it into the hourly wage of a high-end skilled labor profession it wouldn't amount to much.

Hey at least oil is cheap right now! Maybe it will help!?

JohnV · January 21, 2015, 02:36:00 PM

What's the difference between a custom bow and a production bow? Is it the number of bows you sell each year? Is it the number of people who work in the shop? Heck Jamie, with such big bucks to be made by bowyers one would think you would quit your job to become a bowyer and chase all this "easy" money!

Caughtandhobble · January 21, 2015, 02:43:00 PM

Bob Lee bows are great, so is their customer service. OK, everyone knows this... I would have to guess that their prices reflect the economy that we live in today. Off the top of my head I can think of two very fine bowyers that recently stopped making bows. I am sure that they are trying to keep their doors open for business.

KYArcher · January 21, 2015, 02:51:00 PM

Was on their site the other day and noticed those prices myself and thought wow!

McDave · January 21, 2015, 03:20:00 PM

I have a Bob Lee bow that I like and will probably never sell, even though I have sold a few other bows that I liked almost (but not quite) as much. What something can be sold for is not so much a function of cost, as demand. If the cost is higher than it can be sold for, then that means you go out of business. If you can sell it for much more than the cost, it doesn't mean you reduce your selling price to meet the cost, it just means you're a very happy man.

As has been mentioned, custom bows are partially a work of art. Picasso, at the height of his career, could paint a painting in a few hours that would sell for many thousands of dollars, millions today now that he is dead and his art is still in demand.

You don't have to want a Bob Lee bow or be willing to pay his prices, but evidently enough people do or he would have to lower them.

Bowwild · January 21, 2015, 05:27:00 PM

Bob Lee bows are terrific! I have an Ultimate and 3 sets of recurve limbs for it: 56", 60", and 62".

There are often great deals in the classifieds here. That's where I bought mine.

jeff w · January 21, 2015, 06:28:00 PM

nevermind

Gaff · January 21, 2015, 07:50:00 PM

I'm sorry, but I think most are missing my point.. I like bob lee bows, in fact I love them.. I'd love another. Just think it's terr that they doubled the price..
So if it's ok with most of the posters here then if your insurance doubled this yr you'll also be ok with that... What's the difference?

Wannabe1 · January 21, 2015, 07:59:00 PM

Jamie, I'm not missing your point and completely understand what you are saying. Funny how things have changed and the mentality of the consumer world along with it.

My first Bob Lee takedown was the Hunter model and 64" long. I paid, $475.00 + shipping. Wish I had never got rid of that bow now!

McDave · January 21, 2015, 08:15:00 PM

Actually, if the insurance market were as competitive as the bow market, there would be no difference. If my insurance company doubled its price, I would just go somewhere else. Maybe insurance companies are as competitive as bowyers; I don't know. But we really aren't sure if the insurance market is that competitive, so if insurance costs doubled, we might wonder if something underhanded might be going on.

With the bow market, I don't think we can have that doubt. Nobody would seriously believe that Bob Lee and Black Widow and Kirk Lavender would get together to set prices. So if one of those companies decides to triple or quadruple its prices, it's fine with me. I probably wouldn't decide to buy any of their bows at that price, any more than I would buy a million dollar Picasso, but I wouldn't worry about it; it's really not my problem. That's the way capitalism is supposed to work in the USA, and more power to them.

CALHOUN · January 21, 2015, 09:46:00 PM

Any ideas on used value of a bicentennial with 2 sets of limbs. I have a friend wanting to sell me one. Its got phenolic in the riser and shoots great. I believe the bow is about 10 yrs old but like new. Thanks

bamboo · January 21, 2015, 09:59:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Gaff:
I'm sorry, but I think most are missing my point.. I like bob lee bows, in fact I love them.. I'd love another. Just think it's terr that they doubled the price..
So if it's ok with most of the posters here then if your insurance doubled this yr you'll also be ok with that... What's the difference?

I think if bobs insurance /and electric/and glue/ and wood/sandpaper/and gasoline/and grocery's--doubled---and his prices were a tad low a few years ago--then it would be more than fair!--even though it might seem like a lot some!!